1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to driver guides for use with fastener-driving tools. The present invention also relates to fastener-driving tools having such driver guides.
2. Description of the Related Art
Driver guides for use with fastener-driving tools are known to have various types of configurations. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 4-133580 teaches a driver guide having a lower guide plate (known as a nose) and an upper guide plate (known as a nose plate). The lower guide plate is attached to the lower end of a body of a fastener-driving tool. The upper guide plate is mounted to the lower guide plate in order to define a guide channel for providing guidance for the fasteners, so that the fasteners are driven in an appropriate driving direction from the driver guide.
The upper guide plate is vertically movably mounted to the upper guide plate in order to adjust the driving depth of the fasteners into workpieces. In order to adjust the vertical position of the upper guide plate, a mount member having an adjusting knob is typically disposed between the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate. The upper guide plate is mounted to the lower guide plate via the mount member.
However, in some occasions, the fasteners may become jammed between the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate. In such a case, it is necessary to remove the upper guide plate from the lower guide plate. Particularly, in case of the configuration taught in the above publication, it is necessary to completely remove the mount member from the lower guide plate in order to remove the upper guide plate and clear the jammed fasteners. Therefore, a troublesome operation is required in order to remove the upper guide plate from the lower guide plate.
In addition, for the convenience of the driving depth adjusting operation, it is preferable that the lower guide plate supports the upper guide plate while the adjusting stroke is limited with respect to the lower guide plate.